The Jeju Fire Festival is the world’s greatest fire festival that reinterprets the cattle farming traditions of Jeju through a modern sense. The festival’s roots come from a tradition called “bangae,” which is to burn down the fields during the time between late winter and early spring. This renews the greens and exterminates vermin before the horses and cows are set free on the fields to graze.
The Jeju Fire Festival has won many awards including the 2015 and 2016 Ministry of Culture, Sports & Tourism’s Outstanding Festival, 2016 Jeju Special Self-governing Office’s Greatest Festival, 2016 Korea Festival Content Grand Prize for Festival and Tourism, and 2015 Korea’s Greatest Hit of the Year Grand Prize. It was also voted the Most Proud Cultural Resource by the people of Jeju. This festival is one of the most popular attractions in Jeju with more than 300,000 visitors each year.
From 1997 to 1999, it was held in Nabeup-ri, Aewol-eup or Deokcheon-ri, Gujwa-eup in City of Jeju. In 2000, Saebyeol Oreum was announced as the official festival ground. The name Saebyeol, which means “star” in Korean, was given because the area shines like the stars, and sometimes it is called “Saebel Oreum.” Saebyeol Oreum is a volcanic cone that has an altitude of 519.3m, height of 119m, circumference of 2713m, and total area of 522,216m2. It has a horseshoe-shaped crater, and is a medium-sized volcanic cone among the 360 volcanic cones in Jeju. Saebyeol Oreum looks down on the blue ocean of Jeju, and has some uniquely beautiful scenery. It also has a rich historical background as the battlefield where General Choe Yeong defeated the Mongolians during the Goryeo Dynasty.